Money
20 Ways to Eat Healthy on a Budget
Eating healthy and living on a budget don’t have to be competing goals. Here are 20 ways to make your money go further at the grocery store—and still eat well!
Jade Warshaw
Fajita Casserole
Watch me make it here!
Ingredients in bold are used in multiple recipes.
Makes 11–12 roll-ups (one casserole)
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 30–35 minutes
For roll-ups:
1 medium onion (yellow or red)
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1 orange pepper, thinly sliced
1 poblano pepper, thinly sliced
2–3 tablespoons avocado oil
1 taco seasoning packet
2 20-ounce packs of pea protein, shredded (or 1 1/2 pounds rotisserie chicken)
12–18 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded (my rec: Rumiano Organic Pepper Jack Cheese)
12 medium-sized flour tortillas
Smoked paprika (optional)
For sauce:
4 tablespoons butter (my plant-based rec: Miyoko’s plant milk butter)
4 tablespoons flour
3 cups milk (my plant-based rec: Elmhurst unsweetened cashew milk)
7-ounce can of green chiles
1/2 jar of salsa
3–4 slices of smoked Gouda (my plant-based rec: Violife Just Like Smoked Gouda Round Slices)
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish and set it aside.
2. In a skillet over medium heat, add avocado oil and sauté the onion and peppers for 10 minutes or until somewhat soft. Add about a third of the taco seasoning packet to the veggies and stir until coated. Put the cooked peppers and onion in a bowl and set aside.
3. Turn the heat down to low. In the same skillet, add your shredded pea protein or rotisserie chicken. (Note: The protein is already cooked, so we’re just warming it up.) Add a third of the taco seasoning packet and toss to coat. Remove the protein from the pan and set aside.
4. Turn the heat up to medium-low. In the same skillet, melt butter then add flour. Stir for a minute or so until butter and flour are combined—slight crumbles will form. Now slowly whisk in your milk until you have a smooth sauce.
5. In the same skillet, stir in the salsa and the green chiles till combined. Then add the smoked gouda and remaining taco seasoning and stir till smooth and combined. Set aside.
6. Now we’re ready to assemble the casserole. On a smooth surface, lay a tortilla flat and add a scoop of the veggie mixture, a scoop of chicken, and a scoop of shredded cheese. (Note: Save 4–8 ounces of cheese to top the casserole.) Roll the tortilla up, leaving the ends open.
7. In your prepared casserole dish, place the roll-up seam side down. Continue the process until all tortillas are used or the dish is completely full. You should be able to fit about 11–12 roll-ups. Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the tortilla roll-ups. Cover the casserole with remaining shredded cheese. Sprinkle smoked paprika over the top.
8. Bake till bubbly, about 30–35 minutes.
Jade's Tacos
Watch me make it here!
Ingredients in bold are used in multiple recipes.
Makes approximately 8 tacos
Prep time: 5–10 minutes
Cook time: 40–45 minutes
14-ounce block organic extra-firm tofu, crumbled (or 1 pound ground beef)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 tablespoon ancho chile powder
1/2 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon chipotle powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
Avocado oil
8-ounce can plain tomato sauce
2–4 tablespoons water
1 box of taco shells (or 1 package medium-sized flour tortillas)
1 jar of salsa
8 ounces cheddar or pepper jack cheese, shredded (my rec: Rumiano Organic Pepper Jack Cheese)
1–2 avocados, sliced
Suggested toppings: lime, cilantro, lettuce, Fresno chile peppers (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 425 F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. In a mixing bowl, crumble the tofu, then add all the seasonings and 2–3 tablespoons of avocado oil. Stir to combine. (Note: I like to use a potato masher to create a ground beef consistency.)
3. On the lined sheet pan, spread the tofu evenly. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until the crumbles are on the dry and crisp side (not burned).
4. In a skillet over medium heat, drizzle avocado oil and add the tofu crumbles. Stir in the tomato sauce and water. Heat until warmed through.
If you’re using ground beef: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until brown. Add all seasonings and stir to coat. Pour in tomato sauce and water and stir to combine. Heat until warmed through.
5. Grab your taco shells or flour tortillas and fill with beef or tofu mixture. Top with salsa, cheese, avocado and other fixings of your choice.
Wild Card (Baked Potato Bar)
Watch me make it here!
Ingredients in bold are used in multiple recipes.
Make as many potatoes as needed
Prep time: 5–10 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Russet potatoes
Olive oil
Salt
Butter (my plant-based rec: Miyoko’s plant milk butter)
Cheddar cheese, shredded
Optional leftover toppings: taco filling, microgreens, cilantro, avocado, diced Fresno chile peppers, crushed taco shells
Bacon, crumbled (see my plant-based bacon recipe below)
If you’re following my example week, you’ll need bacon for the BLTA sandwiches we’re making tomorrow (approximately 4–6 slices per sandwich). I recommend cooking the bacon now so you only have to assemble sandwiches tomorrow. Plus, you can add some of the bacon to your baked potatoes. (Make sure you cook enough for both meals.)
1. For bacon: If you’re using my plant-based bacon recipe, it takes at least 1 hour to marinate and an additional 20–30 minutes to cook, so prep the bacon first. Scroll down for my plant-based bacon recipe.
If you’re using pork or turkey bacon: In a skillet over low heat, cook the bacon slowly, flipping occasionally, until the bacon is crispy. Set bacon aside.
2. For potatoes: Preheat the oven to 450 F and top a sheet pan with a wire rack.
3. Rinse and scrub the potatoes, remove any sprouts, and pat them dry.
4. On a piece of parchment paper, drizzle one potato with olive oil, then sprinkle salt on top. Wrap the potato in the parchment paper and place it on the prepared sheet pan. Repeat for each potato.
5. Bake the potatoes for about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
6. After the potatoes are baked, let them cool. Then slice the potatoes down the middle, butter to your heart’s content, and fill with your toppings of choice.
My Plant-Based Bacon Recipe
Watch me make it here!
Makes about 16–20 slices
Prep time: 5–10 minutes
Cook time: 20–30 minutes
Marinating: 1–24 hours (my rec: 1 hour)
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/2 teaspoon white miso (optional)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
2 tablespoons avocado oil (optional)
14-ounce block organic extra-firm tofu
Prep:
1. In a medium bowl, add all ingredients except tofu. Whisk until combined. Set aside.
2. Slice tofu into thin strips. You should get about 16–20 strips out of this.
3. In a casserole dish, spread out the tofu strips and completely cover with the marinade.
4. Cover the casserole dish and let the strips marinate in the fridge for at least one hour.
Cook:
5. Preheat the oven to 400 F and top a sheet pan with a wire rack.
6. On the prepared sheet pan, spread out the plant-based bacon strips evenly and bake for 20–30 minutes or until pieces are brown and edges are becoming dark. (Note: Start watching it at 20 minutes to make sure it doesn’t burn.)
BLTA Sandwiches
Watch me make it here!
Ingredients in bold are used in multiple recipes.
Makes approximately 4 sandwiches
Prep time: 10 minutes
2–3 tablespoons olive oil (optional)
1 loaf sourdough bread
Salt and pepper to taste
Mayonnaise (my rec: Sir Kensington’s Organic Mayonnaise)
1–2 avocados
1/2 head of iceberg lettuce
16–20 strips of bacon (see my plant-based bacon recipe above)
1 tomato, sliced
Microgreens or sprouts (optional)
If you’re following my example week, you hopefully precooked your bacon yesterday. But if you didn’t prep it ahead of time, go ahead and cook it now in a skillet or in the oven.
1. Toast the bread. You can do this in the oven or in a toaster, but I prefer to toast it in a skillet, like this: In a flat skillet on medium heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil. Place the bread in the skillet and flip it to toast both sides. Once golden brown, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. (Note: Toasting the bread is optional. Skip this step if you want absolutely zero cooking.)
2. For each sandwich: On one slice of toast, spread mayo, place 4 slices of avocado, then 2–3 lettuce leaves. Next, add bacon. (Note: I used 4 plant-based slices per sandwich. My slices are on the wider side, so if your bacon is narrow, 6 slices may work better.) Then add 1 or 2 slices of tomato, salt and pepper. Finish with microgreens for extra flavor—and to make yourself feel extra healthy. Spread mayo on the second slice of toast, then top off the sandwich. Serve sandwiches whole or slice in half.
Roasted Garlic & Cauliflower Pizza
Watch me make it here!
Ingredients in bold are used in multiple recipes.
Makes 2 large pizzas (8 square slices each)
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 35–45 minutes
2 heads of cauliflower, cut into florets
Olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
2–4 heads of garlic
2 pizza crusts (storebought or homemade)
7–8 ounces herb or roasted garlic cream cheese spread
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
16 ounces mozzarella, shredded (my plant-based rec: Daiya mozzarella shreds)
2 tablespoons truffle oil (optional)
2 Fresno chile peppers (optional)
For crust:
2 tablespoons olive oil
A couple pinches of salt
A couple pinches of garlic powder
1. Preheat the oven to 400 F and grab three sheet pans. Line one pan with parchment paper and brush the other two with olive oil. Set them aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add the cauliflower florets, 4 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir to coat.
3. On the sheet pan lined with parchment paper, spread out the cauliflower. Add the full heads of garlic and pour a bit of olive oil onto each garlic clove to coat.
4. Roast the cauliflower and garlic for 25 minutes or until soft and browned.
5. While that’s roasting, roll out your pizza dough so it’s big enough to cover a sheet pan.
6. Transfer the rolled-out dough to the sheet pans brushed with olive oil. Push the edges of the dough up to create a crust.
7. On the pizza dough, spread the cream cheese until the surface is covered. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.
8. Once the cauliflower is done roasting, remove the pan and set it aside. Bump the oven temperature up to 450 F.
9. Pull apart your roasted garlic to remove the cooked cloves. They should be soft and easy to pull apart. Place the cloves and cauliflower randomly around the pizzas, then top with mozzarella. (Note: I like to do half mozzarella and half plant-based mozzarella so it’s a little less dairy.)
10. Optional: Finish off the pizzas with truffle oil and Fresno chile peppers if you want a little kick. (Note: I cut my Fresnos into rings, but you can also dice them. Once cut, I soak them in cold water for a few minutes to calm down the spice a little.)
11. For crust: In a small dish, combine the olive oil, salt and garlic powder, then brush along the outer crust of each pizza.
12. Bake the pizzas for 10–12 minutes or until the crusts are brown and the cheese is melted.
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